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A 12-year-old student was tied to a railing with a paper sign reading "I'm a thief" taped to her chest after attempting to steal two books at a supermarket in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai.

Four employees from a supermarket in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai were taken into custody on Friday, for allegedly humiliating a 12-year-old girl who attempted to steal a pair of books.

Chu Se District’s police are now seeking charges of “illegal abduction” against the staff of Vy Yen supermarket.

Police said the suspects admitted to tying the arms of N., a seventh-grader at the local Chu Van An Secondary School, to a railing at the supermarket’s entrance, and taping a paper sign reading “I’m a thief” to her chest after catching her red-handed.

One of them then took a photo of her and posted it on his Facebook page. The photo later went viral and sparked public outrage. Public opinion has been divided between those who consider the supermarket staff's actions degrading, and those who believe they taught the girl an appropriate lesson.

The girl was not released until her family paid a VND200,000 compensation fee. The two books she attempted to steal were priced at VND20,000 (US$0.93) in total.